A leader in providing firearm safety and weapon usage training, the National Rifle Association of America provides training and education to gun enthusiasts of all kinds, from hunters to hobbyists. The NRA created its law enforcement arm, the Law Enforcement Division, in 1960 to expand its training programs to include law enforcement. At instructor development schools located throughout the country, NRA instructors train police officers how to become firearm safety instructors and teach in academies and police agencies.

What It Does

Police academies, departments and agencies only hire qualified instructors to teach police cadets and rely on organizations such as the NRA to provide high-quality instructor training. NRA police officer instructor training utilizes both classroom work and hands-on experience to give instructors the knowledge and the skills to teach other officers proper firearm use, timing and safety. The courses educate instructors on how to set up curriculum that is effective and safe while still offering their students real-world experience.

Who Can Participate

The training programs are open to public and private law enforcement professionals and military members who currently fill an instructor position or intend to teach in the future. All participants must be U.S. citizens. Training participants must know how to shoot a firearm and be able to shoot six-inch groups with a handgun from 15 yards away, according to the NRA website. They must have a basic knowledge of police weapons, including being able to disassemble and reassemble the weapon.

What it Takes

The five-day programs include 44 contact hours, and participants must have an attendance record of 100 percent. At the end of the week, training participants must pass a written exam to complete the training. All participants must pay a tuition fee, as well as travel expenses and range fees. The NRA instructor schools do not supply the firearms, so each participant must bring his own firearm and magazine, with only law-enforcement firearms allowed. Other equipment participants must supply includes a holster; eye and ear protection; law enforcement flashlight that requires only one hand to use; and firearm cleaning materials.

What Is Covered

NRA police officer training courses present a number of different shooting techniques and training methods so that the participant can develop a curriculum based on his student’s needs and his own teaching philosophy. There are several courses to choose from, and a participant can take just one course or combine courses for a comprehensive education. Courses include handgun, handgun and shotgun, tactical shooting, tactical shotgun, patrol rifle, select-fire and precision rifle. Each course provides a basic overview of firearm instruction and offers an in-depth look at instructing on that specific type of firearm.

Range Safety Officer

The NRA also offers a certified range safety officer program for law enforcement personnel, as well as the general public. Certified range safety officers have the skills and knowledge to supervise shooting activities at gun ranges. NRA-certified range safety officers must be 21 years old, attend a range safety officer course and pass a written exam. The course and exam cover a range safety officer's responsibilities, range operating procedures and firearm malfunctions. The course is a nine-hour in-person course that includes classroom time and hands-on exercises. Law enforcement officials who already hold an NRA police instructor certification can opt out of the in-person training course and instead take an online course to fulfill the requirements.